Tokyo agrees reluctantly to IOC moving 2020 marathon events to Sapporo

Source: Xinhua| 2019-11-01 20:28:17|Editor: Shi Yinglun
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TOKYO, Nov. 1 (Xinhua) -- The 2020 Olympic marathon and race-walking events will be moved from Tokyo and held in Hokkaido's Sapporo City in line with a previous decision made by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), but Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike continued to voice her displeasure and opposition on Friday.

"We still believe it's best for the marathon to take place in Tokyo, but after considering the importance of the success of the Olympics, though we still do not agree, we will not obstruct the decision made by the IOC, who have the authority to give the final say," Koike said.

"If I have to say so, it is a decision made without an agreement," she added.

A four-party meeting held between the Tokyo metropolitan government, the IOC, the Tokyo organizing committee and the Japanese government, has been discussing the issue over the past three days, with IOC Coordination Commission Chairman John Coates stating that he wanted to gain the understanding of the people of Tokyo about the abrupt switch of locations of the marquee events out of the host city.

The decision by the IOC was abruptly made and Koike, the Tokyo metropolitan government, as well as people living in Tokyo have been hugely disappointed at the unilateral decision for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic marathon and race-walking events to be moved from the host city, where they would have been a huge draw for crowds and for many the only opportunity to see an Olympic event in person in their lifetime, to Sapporo in Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido.

While Coates had said that he would make the effort to fully explain the decision and provide further explanations where necessary as to the unilateral move by the IOC, while seeking to gain the understanding of thousands of Tokyoites who had been eagerly awaiting attending the marquee events in their city, Koike had remained adamant the events should not be moved, in the best interest of the efforts already made by the host city and the athletes who have been training specifically to compete in Tokyo's climate.

"We consider it an unprecedented turn of events for the IOC to make such an abrupt proposal with no consultation or discussion whatsoever with the host city Tokyo beforehand," Koike said recently.

The IOC has said that it did not want a repeat of the world track and field championship held in Doha, Qatar, which saw numerous athletes fail to finish the crossing line in the marathon and walking races events due to the intense heat and humidity, even though the events were held after midnight.

The IOC has said that moving the events to Sapporo will lessen the chances of athletes overly suffering under the summer heat in Tokyo as the northern town's climate is cooler than Tokyo's.

Despite Koike being obviously miffed at the decision, along with the Tokyo metropolitan government and thousands of Tokyoites, Coates had said the decision had already been made by the IOC and will not be reversed.

Coates had said that the "decision has been taken" and that the "IOC was exercising its authority in putting the health of athletes first."

While stressing that Tokyo did not agree with the decision, Koike said Friday that the host city would fully support the IOC's decision to move the events.

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